Large cylindrical objects, such as rolls of paper for printing presses, are heavy and difficult to handle. These rolls can weigh up to 4,000 pounds and be fifty inches in diameter and fifty-five inches in length. The rolls of paper are wrapped at the paper-making factory with a protective tube-type wrapper that covers the entire cylindrical surface of the roll end overhanging the end of the rolls. Also, the ends of the roll are protected, usually by attaching an inside stiff disk of cardboard, called an inside head, to the end of the paper roll. The wrapper overhanging tube is then glued and crimped down against the inside head. Finally, an outside head, again generally of stiff cardboard, is attached to the crimped wrapper. Frequently the inside head is stapled to a core plug which is inserted into the core of the paper roll to protect the ends of the core against damage.
These paper rolls are wrapped tightly with the wrapper and heads. When it is time to use the roll, the wrapper, heads and core plugs must be removed. In the past, this has been done manually by a workman inserting a knife, hopefully between the end of the roll and the head, and then rotating the roll about its longitudinal axis to cut the wrapper. The plug is removed by manually placing a hook inside of the plug and jerking with considerable force outwardly to separate the plug from the roll.
This technique for cutting the heads and wrapper crimp and removing the plugs is cumbersome and time-consuming. Furthermore, care must be used to not damage the surface of the end of the paper on the roll, or to damage the core which supports the paper. Any damage to the paper will result in a defect appearing in the final product printed on the paper. Damage to the core can make the core unusable for insertion into the printing presses, which rely on tapered pins thrust into the ends of the core for properly positioning the roll.